tDAR - Digital Archaeological Record

tDAR - Digital Archaeological Record

The Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR) is an international digital repository for the digital records of archaeological investigations. tDAR’s use, development, and maintenance are governed by Digital Antiquity, an organization dedicated to ensuring the long-term preservation of irreplaceable archaeological data and to broadening access to these data.  The tDAR repository will enable researchers to more effectively create knowledge of the  human past and resource managers to better preserve and protect archaeological resources. Digital Antiquity’s key objectives include fostering the use of tDAR and ensuring its financial, technical, and professional sustainability. Use of tDAR has the potential to transform archaeological research by providing direct access to current and historic digital data along with powerful tools to analyze and reuse it.

The tDAR repository encompasses digital data, documents, and images derived from ongoing archaeological research, as well as legacy data derived from more than a century of archaeological research. The repository provides for long-term preservation and easy discovery and access to databases, spreadsheets, documents, and images in a variety of common formats.

tDAR operates under the organizational umbrella of Digital Antiquity, a multi-institutional organization that has been explicitly designed to ensure the long-term financial, technical, and social sustainability of the tDAR cyberinfrastructure.  Digital Antiquity is led by Executive Director Francis P. McManamon and Technology Director Adam Brin. Digital Antiquity is governed by an independent Board of Directors composed of four members with expertise in finance, law, not-for-profit organization administration, and information technology, plus individuals from the University of Arkansas, Arizona State University, the Pennsylvania State University, the SRI Foundation, Washington State University, and the University of York. Digital Antiquity’s decision-making is supported by a distinguished external Science Board with representatives from all sectors of archaeology and from information science. Digital Antiquity currently is being incubated by Arizona State University. At the end of its initial development, the organization (and tDAR) may be established as a “stand-alone” not-for-profit  organization or be incorporated into an appropriate non-profit, such as a professional association.